


Business Is Dry

by ActualMango



Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Action & Romance, Action/Adventure, Adorable, Adventure & Romance, Canon-Typical Violence, Cute, Dunmer (Elder Scrolls), Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Gay, Glover is so fed up with Geldis and Teldryn's shit, Grumpy old elves in love, He's the best wingman a mer could ask for, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Male Slash, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Alternating, Pre-Canon, Pre-Relationship, Pre-Slash, Slash, Solstheim (Elder Scrolls), Suggestive Themes, Teldryn needs to pay his fucking bills, Violence, Whump, mlm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-30
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:54:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23377222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ActualMango/pseuds/ActualMango
Summary: Teldryn's been staying at the Retching Netch for a long time, and he and Geldis know each other well. Yet somehow, they've never realised why their heartbeat gets just a little faster when they see the other, or why they know just a little too much about each other's lives, or why there's always something to be said that they never quite say.Until they do.Just a thing to start me writing properly again in this covid-19 mess. Hope you enjoy!
Relationships: Geldis Sadri/Teldryn Sero
Comments: 10
Kudos: 56





	1. Can Someone Please Tell Them?

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is the first multichapter work I've put on here (even if it's barely multichapter lol). It's been really fun putting effort into a longer work. I hope you enjoy!

“Welcome to the Retching Netch cornerclub, home of the finest suja- oh. It’s you.”

“What about me?” Teldryn asked, helmet against hip as he swaggered up to the bar. “Can’t a mer get a drink around here?”

“Not when he hasn’t paid for the last one. Or ten,” Geldis said, pointedly not looking at Teldryn as he wiped a dirty mug. “You owe me for 3 sujammas and 2 flins, and four sheins. I make that a hundred septims, and I’ve been waiting.”

He tried to focus on making the ceramics smooth and clean, doing his best to avoid getting a splinter in his finger from the rough wood he was working on.

Teldryn slumped into a stool, leaning across the bar. “Look, Geldis, I’ve not been hired for months now, and with the ash storm brewing no one’s gonna be coming for the next week. I can’t pay you yet.”

“Lovely story,” Geldis said, not looking up, “but I need the money. D’ya think the ash storms are getting _me_ any business?” The mugs finished, he reached under the counter to get the cleanest cloth he could find and starting wiping the bar down, getting ash and dust and alcohol out of the grooves in the wood.

Teldryn sighed, tipping his head back towards the cornerclub’s arched stone ceiling, steepling his hands over his bitten lips. “Believe me, as soon as I get a new patron-”

“You just said you won’t be getting a new patron for a while. Quit lying about it.” The countertop was getting too worn out, Geldis realised. He’d have to replace it soon, before it cracked completely. If he was feeling expensive, he could ask Gjalund to bring in the lumber from Skyrim.

Teldryn leaned forwards again, resting his chin on his hands and his elbows on the bar. He was too close for Geldis to avoiding his eyes. He looked up to find Teldryn staring at him with an unnerving intensity.

“If there’s anything else I can do – anything else to repay the debt before I get more gold…”

Geldis very carefully kept his gaze on Teldryn’s, not flicking it down. They held it for a long, tense moment. Two long, tense moments. Three…

Neither of them looked away. The world around narrowed to Teldryn, and the air between them was strung out like stretched taffy.

From behind Teldryn, someone cleared their throat, very obviously interrupting the silence. Startled, Geldis peered around him to see Adril Arano at one of the tables, nibbling at small bites of his stew. He kept his eyes firmly fixed on the food, but Geldis didn’t miss his raised eyebrow. Teldryn leaned back again, fixing Adril with a cool stare.

Geldis’ heart was drumming in his chest like he was being chased by ash spawn. When had it sped up so much?

Teldryn harrumphed and stood up, scraping his stool over the floor with an earsplitting screech. He took a moment to put his helmet on, although he didn’t bother fasten the straps. “Can I at least sit upstairs?” he said, muffled behind the chitin.

“Go on then, loiter up there, scare away the customers,” Geldis said without bite, running his fingers thoughtfully over the bartop. “Good luck with finding a patron, though. Really.”

Teldryn was already going up the stairs, and he didn’t turn back, but he threw a thumbs up over his shoulder before he disappeared. Geldis heard the door swing open – that would be Glover. He’d been surprised he hadn’t already turned up.

Sure enough, he appeared on the stairs below Teldryn. He exchanged words with Teldryn Geldis couldn’t hear and laughed before coming up to the bar.

He gave his order – he took the ashfire mead whenever Geldis had it in stock – and sat down, in the seat next to where Teldryn had been.

“Said you’re a right arse,” Glover said, grinning as he accepted his bottle. He fished around in his pocket for the gold. “Stubborner than a bull netch going for a betty. His words.”

He didn’t have to clarify who’s.

“S’what happens when he owes me,” Geldis said. “Paying customers, on the other hand-”

“Yeah, yeah, don’t have to flatter me. This is only my first drink.” Glover took a long swig of the mead before speaking again. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” Geldis chuckled. “You’re more gracious than Teldryn, for sure.”

“You know, you two…” Glover started, but he trailed off.

“Hmm?”

“Eh, nothing,” he said. He just kept drinking his mead, and Geldis could see dents in the wood of the counter where he and every other patron had slammed their drinks down, like true drunkards. Mostly Glover. Damn humans didn’t know how to be gentle.

He really would have to put in a new order.

\--

Geldis was sitting behind the counter, giving his legs a break until the evening. There was talking and laughing upstairs, and he would have investigated, but he was running up costs in his head – if he could sell ten more drinks per evening, maybe by getting his new drink around, that would be roughly, what, 120 extra gold? Gah, not enough. He’d need at least 200 septims on top of that for a decent piece of wood for the bar. And advertising his sujamma would be a lot of work on top of that if he were to try and take it outside the cornerclub, even if it would be the best way of raking in some more coin. He couldn’t afford to take anything out of what he already earned to hire someone.

He was still lost in his thoughts, trying to find another way of making the gold, when Teldryn came down the stairs, helmet on. “Well, I’ll be out of your way for a while.”

Geldis jerked his head up, surprised. “What d’you mean?” he asked.

He gestured behind him up the stairs. “Got a new patron,” he said. Geldis couldn’t tell what he looked like under the helmet, but if his voice was anything to go by, he was grinning. “Dunno why she decided to come to Solstheim, but I’ll take it. She and her friend want to go up north, so I’ll be out of the ash storms too.”

“Lucky you. What’s she like?”

Teldryn didn’t have time to answer before the patron – presumably – was down the stairs and behind the bar. She was a nord, and she was the epitome of her race – muscled, blonde and scarred, with an impressive blade at her side and a shield slung over her back. Next to her a red-haired woman hovered, who had green warpaint like claw marks slashed over her face. She took in the room with ever-roving eyes.

“Are you Geldis? I’m Thyri,” the blonde one said in a thick Skyrim accent, thrusting out a hand over the counter for him to shake. After a moment’s hesitation, he took it. Nords were often trouble, whether because they drank and ran or because they began cursing out them gray-skins in the middle of their umpteenth drink, but this one seemed friendly enough for now at least. He wasn’t so sure about the redhead – the unnatural colour and intensity of her eyes didn’t help for a start – but she seemed content to stand back and watch the proceedings.

“Welcome to the Retching Netch cornerclub, milady. Like to try some of our house sujamma before you’re off?” Teldryn tilted his head like he always did when he was confused, and Geldis knew why. Normally he wouldn’t advertise the Dunmer drinks to other mer, let alone humans, but he was curious to see her reaction.

“Sujamma? What’s that?” Thyri asked.

“It’s Dunmer drink,” Teldryn said before Geldis could, “but it’s very good. You should try some. In fact, Geldis has been working on his own version.”

The nord looked interested. “Huh. I won’t drink before we travel, but I might buy some for later. That’s not against Morrowind law, is it?” She chuckled at her own half-joke. “Aela, what do you think?”

While she was turned around to talk to her friend, Geldis raised his eyebrows at Teldryn. “Where’d that come from? Didn’t know you paid so much attention to my spiel,” he murmured.

“Well, a second opinion is always persuasive.” Teldryn was muffled from behind his helmet. “And I know you need the cash.”

“Exactly. How’d you know I need the cash?” Geldis said. He was about to say more, but Thyri turned back.

“What was that other version you were talking about?” she asked.

“My own sujamma, with some more ingredients mixed in. Berries and the like.”

“It’d be even more popular if more people knew about it, but Geldis never leaves this bloody inn,” Teldryn interjected. Geldis put a hand over his chest in mock outrage, and Teldryn only shrugged back. “Am I wrong?”

“Yes, you are,” Geldis said, but before he could go on, he was interrupted.

“Do you need any help? With getting word around?” Thyri asked.

Geldis couldn’t believe his luck. “Well, yes, as Teldryn here so _kindly_ pointed out,” he said, shooting a pointed glare at the mentioned. “If you wouldn’t mind, handing out free samples around the place would be very helpful.”

“Ach, that’ll be no problem. I was looking for an excuse to stay here and look around anyway,” the nord said. “Nice little town. And can I get some - whatsit called – sujamma for us? Six bottles, thanks.”

Geldis opened his mouth to refute her about Raven Rock being ‘nice’, then quickly closed it again. He reached under the bartop to fetch 16 bottles, naming the price. Sixty septims.

“Who should I give the drink to?” Thyri asked as she rummaged around in her coin purse, pulling out the septims. “Just anyone I see?”

You could probably try anyone except for the orc an’ his lackey,” Geldis said. “You’ll see them around.” There were others who it wouldn’t be worth asking, but asking a human to tell the difference between two dunmer would be an impossible task. She would just have to be rejected a few times. Still, it would spread word.

“Well, no problem. And thanks for the drinks. Oi, Teldryn, I’ll see you outside. You two can say goodbye.” Thyri and her red-haired friend disappeared back up the stairs, leaving Teldryn and Geldis alone.

He took off his helmet and put it on a stool, shaking his head like a dog for a moment before combing his fingers through his mohawk. “Now do you see what I was doing?”

“I always saw what you were doing,” Geldis said. Teldryn scoffed. “Just didn’t see what you had to make fun of me for.”

“Well,” Teldryn said, ticking off on his fingers, “it’s true – don’t look at me like that - and she’s a nord. Nords love making fun of other people. Cruelly or in jest.”

“It was still unnecessary,” Geldis grumbled. Teldryn just laughed. “But thanks.”

“Another thing,” Teldryn said, reaching into a pocket inside his chitin armour. “As I really hope you noticed, I have a patron now, and she’s already paid me, so here’s what I owe you. Plus a bit extra for the wait.”

Geldis said nothing, just stared as Teldryn piled fat golden coins onto the counter. It took him a few moments to regain control of his throat. “How much?”

“Does 150 cover it?”

Teldryn was grinning, and his eyes sparkled. He probably knew exactly how much Geldis needed for a new countertop that wouldn’t stab his fingers with splinters or crack under someone’s weight. And 150 coin along with the sixty from the nords meant he only needed sixty more, and that would come easily from Thyri handing out the samples…

Teldryn definitely knew what he was doing.

“Would it be bad to hug you right now?”

“Not at all,” Teldryn said. He leaned over, and it was an awkward angle, but Geldis wouldn’t change this for the world. Teldryn ran his hand over his back, and they both stayed there for a little. Taking the strange intimacy in. Saying thank you. Saying you’re welcome. Geldis almost wanted to say something else, even though he didn’t know what that was. He just knew there was something.

After far too long, Teldryn pulled away. “Well, I’d better get going before my patron causes too much chaos in our nice little town.” Geldis snorted at the image of incredulous elves having sujamma thrust into their hands by two insistent nords.

“Know how long you’ll be?” His voice sounded far too needy, and he followed up to hide it. “I can’t do without my best customer.”

“That customer’s Glover. He pays his debts,” Teldryn said. “And I don’t know how long. No telling how long she’ll be happy to pay me.”

“Right,” Geldis said, trying not to sound disappointed. “Good luck. Don’t die, don’t be mauled by ash spawn, you know the drill.”

“Aren’t those the same thing?” Teldryn said as he refastened his helmet. “Same goes for you.”

“See ya.”

Once Teldryn had waved goodbye, Geldis busied himself putting his newfound coin into an empty matze bottle, which he used for saving up. Teldryn knew him far too well.

\--

Gods, that had been a mess.

Teldryn was fine with his patron being the Dragonborn, but the reason she was on Solstheim? He barely knew who this Miraak was, but he knew it was bad, particularly when Thyri was sucked into a book. A black book, which had fucking _tentacles_.

That wasn’t even the worst of it. Aela had turned out to be a werewolf. Miraak was a whole lot harder to defeat than they’d thought he would be. And by the Three, why did they have to talk to _Neloth_? He’d had enough of that s’wit within a second of meeting him, and he hadn’t exactly wanted to repeat the experience.

So when Thyri had said she was going back to Skyrim and offered to let him off with extra payment, he wasn’t going to say no. Frankly, he’d have taken it without the extra. Not that he was complaining.

So now he was stuck again in the back end of nowhere that was Raven Rock, twiddling his thumbs for the winter. At least he had enough to lay up in the Netch for a while.

“You just going to be drinking away your problems again?” Geldis’ voice came from downstairs, bringing him out of a reverie about who would win in a fight – a bull netch or Glover Mallory. “Cos I’d rather you did it down here. Then I won’t look too much like a den of iniquity. Arano’s been getting at me to be more respectable.”

“As long as you keep the drinks coming,” Teldryn said, groaning as he stood up on his stiff knees. He ignored Mogrul sniggering next to him.

“Teldryn, I know you don’t like people being nice to you,” Geldis said as he sat down, “but what’s wrong? I’ve never seen you so – like this.”

Teldryn sighed, avoiding Geldis’ eyes. “Try seeing Thyri deal with that shit and tell me it doesn’t fuck you up a bit.”

“See, was telling me that hard?” Geldis said sarcastically. “What shit?”

“Oh I don’t know, my dear Geldis, maybe the return of an evil, apparently invincible Dragonborn in league with a daedric prince? That bad enough for you?” Teldryn reached for another bottle of shein, but Geldis pulled away from his hand at the last minute. They both winced at the sound of it scraping across the counter. “Why can’t I have another drink, you bastard?”

“Tough love.” Geldis quickly swept the rest of the bottles on the bartop away before Teldryn could try for them. “Anything good happen?”

“I got paid,” Teldryn said shortly. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to leave before you can give me a full-on therapy session. I’m not some soft n’wah.”

“Whatever you say,” Geldis said. He didn’t try to stop him, just turned around and went into the back. Teldryn went to one of the round tables in the main area and laid his head on his arms. He still needed some time without thinking before being back to normal, just like he always did after trying not to get too invested in a patron’s problems. It had only been a week and a half since the first black book – the first horror. The Dragonborn always seemed to move at an impossible pace, always did things with unnerving speed.

He didn’t look up when Geldis came back until he felt the vibrations of something being put down next to him on the table. “What’s this?”

“I figured you’d want some cheering up. And frankly, so do I.” Geldis held another bottle of flin in his hand. The good stuff. Geldis knew Teldryn far too well.

“A drinking game? Are you a teenager? Don’t you need to be ready for customers?” Teldryn asked, eyeing the shot glasses in a row on the table.

“Yes. Obviously. Nope. Aren’t you good at shots?”

“That was me boasting to Glover and you know it,” Teldryn grumbled.

“You need to loosen up a bit. I can help.” Geldis began pouring shots with a practiced steady hand, filling the glass with amber liquid, then filled a jug and two mugs with water.

“Is this your attempt at seducing me?” Teldryn asked. He was only half joking.

“Do you want it to be?” Geldis finished and sat opposite him. “This is expensive. I don’t wanna see you getting this all over your face. Nowhere outside your mouth. Not even on your lips. All in.”

Teldryn raised one eyebrow, even as he reached for the first of five shot glasses on his side. “And how do you intend to know if it’s on my lips?”

“Fetcher.” Geldis reached for his own drink and raised it up to chink Teldryn’s. “On three. Three, two one…”

They both took their shot at the same time. Even before it was down his throat, Teldryn swore he could feel a buzz through his veins.

“Drink the water too,” Geldis said. “I ain’t dealing with your hangover in the morning.” He had a point. Teldryn took a few big gulps of water before picking his next glass up.

They took two more shots before Teldryn leant back in his chair. “I need a break.”

“No, you don’t,” Geldis said nonchalantly. “Not if you want all of this for free.”

Two more shots, and then Geldis put the flin away, before they were both too messed up to do anything about it.

“You were in Windhelm at some point, weren’t ya?” he asked when he came back, leaning back in his chair. He was in a precarious position. Teldryn had to resist pulling him back to the ground.

“Yes, Geldis, you saw me when I had a bed at the New Gnisis for most of my time there,” Teldryn said. “You’re already drunk.”

“Yeah, yeah.” He waved the statement away with an airy hand. “I remember that, obviously. You were much better at paying Ambarys’ bills.”

“Still bitter?” Teldryn asked. “I payed them as soon as I could every time, same as for you. Here it’s just harder.” When had the room started swirling around him?

“Nah. Not just that.” Geldis’ voice was already beginning to slur already – not that Teldryn was one to talk. Teldryn tried to look like he didn’t know what he was talking about. “You really liked Ambarys. In fact, I’m pretty sure I remember hearing you two talking about-”

“Piss off!” Geldis was making a – a _gesture_ with his fingers, and Teldryn definitely knew what he was talking about. “You little sneak. If I had known…”

“Hey – I never listened any more than that! Honest!” Geldis threw his hands above his head in mock surrender, almost smacking one into the wall next to him. “Didn’t wanna listen to you two fu-”

“Ok, stop there,” Teldryn said. He didn’t want to think about Ambarys – not with Geldis looking at him like that. “What about you and Luaffyn? I’m mostly just wonderin’ how you got into Candlehearth without Yssra Early-Dawn catchin’ on.”

“Gods, I can’t remember,” Geldis said. “Probably just walked past. Woman was blinder than a snow elf.”

It was odd, thinking about his time in Windhelm, especially while he was drunk. And he never really thought about Geldis being there either. He only knew about him and Luaffyn from talking to the others about it. He never would’ve imagined Geldis would be his closest friend.

More than a friend, really.

They were halfway through jointly recounting Belyn Hlaalu’s (Teldryn looked around for Adril Arano before saying his surname) encounter with a horker when Geldis leaned back a little too far on his chair. Before brain-addled Teldryn could do anything, he had fallen smack on the floor with a loud thump.

“You – you ‘right?” he slurred, clumsily getting out of his chair to try and help. Geldis just lay there, laughing. The room was still whirling like a dancer around him.

Geldis began mumbling something, half in Dunmeris, half in Common, and some words that Teldryn couldn’t understand in either language. He tried to reach down and give him a hand up, but he lost his balance and fell down next to him.

When Glover came to get a drink, he found two mer, evidently drunk off their heads, sleeping and mumbling on the floor next to each other, hands barely an inch away. He grabbed a couple of drinks from underneath the bar, left his coin, and was about to leave, chuckling to himself, when he turned back. Five minutes later, a pillow was under each head and they were both in a safer position. Their hands touched each other delicately at the tips of their fingers.


	2. Finally, Somone Told Them.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's some actual plot in this chapter... finally, something happens which makes them both realise what they feel.
> 
> Get ready for the fun stuff.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cw for some body horror and descriptions of violence and injuries.

“See you, Gjalund,” Geldis called back over his shoulder as he stumbled off the ship. Damn boats. He could never understand how anyone could spend a lifetime on the water, not when he wanted to throw up from just five minutes on it. He’d suppressed memories of the journey from Windhelm for a reason.

He’d ordered the new wood for the counter. He’d talk to Glover about shaping it some other day. For now, there was an hour or two before the incoming ash storm swept in with full force, and he was going to use that time to have a walk. He’d need it before he was locked inside, and there wouldn’t be anyone at the bar who would mind waiting for their drink. Or just helping themselves and leaving the coin.

Although tendrils of ash were already beginning to snake to life, it was a fine evening. A sliver of the sun was just visible behind the hills that formed the edge of the harbour. A breeze was starting to whip itself up, but everything else remained quiet. Even Red Mountain seemed calmer, its lazy plumes rising up in the distance.

It was almost unnatural.

Geldis nodded a greeting to one of the Bulwark guards, who raised a hand in return. He strolled through the tunnel leading outside, gazing at the derelict farm in the distance, battered by storms.

He wandered around just outside Raven Rock for a while, enjoying the peace. Normally the lack of people felt uneasy, oppressive, but today it was a blessing. Geldis’ thoughts recently had been consumed by doubt and something else he couldn’t place a finger on, and somehow it always came back to a certain mercenary who sat guarding his chair at the Netch and revealed his face to only those he trusted.

He needed time and space to think.

One of the guards said something to their fellow, who nodded and let them go out of sight behind the wall.

All too soon, the ash began to stir itself up in earnest, and the remaining guard shouted over to him. “I’d get back inside soon. No telling when the storm’ll really start.”

Geldis waved in acknowledgement before descending the dune he’d climbed, like a child playing away from its mother at the beach. It was piled up against the Bulwark by the latest storms, and slipped beneath his feet. Even when he stood still to get his balance, it still moved. _It shouldn’t be_ , Geldis thought, frowning. _And what’s that noise?_

Too late, he recognised the growls coming from beneath the ash. He leaped forwards to run down the dune, too terrified even to shout for help, but a hand reached out and snatched his ankle, pulling him hard down to the ground, smacking the air out of his lungs.

From inside the tunnel, he heard a shout and the pounding of footsteps, but he ignored it, focusing on trying to get up so he could run, fucking run. When he glanced over his shoulder, there were three – no, _four_ ash spawn pulling themselves up. The one that had grabbed him still kept a hold on his ankle, and lashed out, scraping misshapen fingers along Geldis’ arm as he shouted.

He dimly registered a figure above him screaming a battle cry, and an accompanying rush of wind and screeching of bonemold on bonemold, before feeling the crushing grip on his leg loosen. He took his chance and wrenched his foot away. The ash was still too loose to quickly stand on, so he crawled away, on hands and knees, until he was on more settled footing and he could run.

The ash storm was starting now, and already it was getting harder to breathe, so Geldis pulled the neck of his tunic over his mouth and nose as he sprinted to the tunnel. The guard there was gone – hopefully fighting the monsters - but he once he was on the other side, he felt much safer. He was inside. He was fine now. The ash spawn wouldn’t be able to get here. He was safe.

Another guard thundered past him with a clanking of armour. Geldis wanted to take a moment to calm down, lean against the wall, rub his painful ankle, consider the fact that he had just survived a close encounter of the terrifying kind, but he didn’t have time. The storm had started in earnest. Ash circled up in little tornados among the harsher, bigger gusts that were beginning to batter Raven Rock – well, the Bulwark – yet again. He would have to recuperate inside.

He was about to begin stumbling back with the little light that remained when he collapsed under a crushing weight, down for the second time.

A gurgling snarl came from above his head, and burning heat pressed into his leg, piercing the tender flesh of his calf. He yelled, and the sickening wet sound of something puncturing his skin sent him into an utter panic. His limbs thrashed wildly as he tried to loosen the merciless grip on him, but in vain.

He heard another growl to his left, and while trying to pull himself away with his arms, turned his head to see another monster running in its shambling way towards him.

There was more burning agony, streaked in a smouldering line across his back, and he scrabbled at the road, trying to find purchase to pull himself away, shouting all the while.

No one answered.

He was barely able to see in front of his nose for the ash in the air, red and swirling around the one-sided battle, and more pain, and more and more and more, digging in-

Geldis found a plank, abandoned in the ash, and closed shaking fingers around it, trying to reach behind him to stab the ash spawn, still yelling as loud as he could. No one was there. No one would help him.

The monster on top of him screamed with raw fury, almost deafening him, and redoubled its attack. The plank was torn from his grasp, scraping his hands. Geldis had given up. He was going to die. Oh well. Someone else would run the inn. Glover would still be able to fix bonemold. Teldryn could find another place to ply his trade. _Oh, gods._

The pain was sending him to sleep, his body trying to give him mercy. Just as he flickered on the border of consciousness, he could faintly tell there was someone else there, someone whose bulky silhouette didn’t glow with the heat of the Red Mountain, who began beating back at his attackers. And then Geldis was gone.

\--

It was a hard fight, but he had surprised the ash spawn, and now they both lay in piles at Teldryn’s feet, hacked to pieces until they’d crumbled of their own accord.

Groaning, he bent down to pick Geldis up. He’d heard the yelling just as he was about to go inside the Retching Netch to shelter, and had just been able to see Geldis go down before the ash storm closed in too much for him to see more. He’d only been able to blindly follow the shouts, until he could see two zombie-like figures hacking at something he couldn’t see on the ground.

And now Geldis was slung like a sack over Teldryn’s shoulder, dead weight, although luckily still warm. He could just about feel regular beats drumming in his chest, and he wanted to cry with thanks. Even with that small victory though, he couldn’t see beyond his feet for all the ash in the air, and he swore he could still hear the monsters screeching, lumbering after them, desperate to attack. He blundered about in the sea of red brown, trying to find a lone guard, or a door. B’vehk, he’d settle for a wall.

One of the spawn had cracked Teldryn’s helmet, and ash seeped inside, like sand pouring through an hourglass. He only hoped it didn’t run out. Geldis’ wounds wouldn’t be good.

A sudden gust almost knocked Teldryn clean over, but luckily, he only staggered against something, and he managed to stay upright. The ash clogged his goggles, but he could just about make out a protrusion sticking out of the wall further on. A doorway.

He readjusted Geldis, still draped over his shoulder, and pressed on, using his free hand to claw along the wall. If he let go, there was a good chance he wouldn’t be able to find it again, and he was headed straight into the wind now, making it even more difficult.

After a century of fighting through, he reached the doorway. Already Teldryn wanted to collapse there. Instead, he raised his fist, bones aching at the exertion, and banged on the door. He shouted, but it was unintelligible through the ash beginning to fill his helmet. _Shit_.

It took an age of hammering, but finally the door swung open. Teldryn staggered inside, almost knocking their unwitting savior over, and did his best to hold onto Geldis until they were both at ground level.

Finally free of the storm, he took off his helmet and sucked in a clean breath, then hacked it all out again, trying to rid his lungs of the ash. He could only see two pairs of feet. Seeing any further up was impossible while he was wracked with such harsh coughs.

Finally, the fit subsided, and he looked over at Geldis, who Glover Mallory was attending to. Teldryn swayed to his feet. They were in the inn, and thank Azura. Of all the places to be, this was it.

“Turn him on his front,” Teldryn said, trying to move Glover’s hands out of the way. He resisted.

“You just came from out there, I’ll do it,” Glover said, and he did so. Geldis moaned, and Teldryn ached for him. He certainly wouldn’t want to be awake.

Still coughing every now and then, Teldryn used his knife to slice Geldis’ shirt open, wincing both as he tried not to cut the skin and as he saw just how bad the wounds were. An ugly gash had been gouged deep through the muscle in his back. Thankfully, it hadn’t gone too close to his spine, and the heat of the ash spawns’ blades must have cauterized it, but that was all there was to be thankful for. Another, shallower slash split the skin on his neck, and there were innumerable other cuts and scrapes all over. A deep purple bruise blossomed like rotten nightshade on his temple. Every wound was tinged with golden ash.

Then Glover took the knife and sliced away Geldis’ trousers and Teldryn was finding it even harder to breathe.

Geldis’ right leg was the site of a massacre. Ugly, gaping claw marks sloppily chiseled into his calf, bite marks on his thigh – fucking _bite marks_ – punching into the flesh, tearing their way up. Several punctures were so deep they revealed white bone. Where it wasn’t torn apart, the skin was burnt and cracked, weeping with fluid.

Geldis would never walk again.

“This is bad. This is really, really bad,” Glover said lowly. Teldryn was about to snap back something along the lines of _no fucking shit_ when Tilisu Severin came up the stairs.

“By the-” She clamped her hands over her mouth, eyes wide. Teldryn ignored her in favour of rummaging through his belongings, looking for healing. There wasn’t much, just a few potions, some bandages and ingredients.

He handed the bandages to Glover. “Wrap them around his leg. Don’t want anything getting in there.”

While Glover rolled his eyes saying _I know why, godsake_ , Teldryn took one of the thicker potions, more like a cream, and slathered it on Geldis’ back wound, trying to rub off the golden ash. Already the wound began to look slightly healthier.

When he turned him over to check the rest of him, there was another nasty-looking slash diagonal across Geldis’ forearm, the length of Teldryn’s hand, which he took care of in the same way. If the heat of the spawn hadn’t cauterized the wounds, Geldis would’ve bled out as easily as squeezing a soaked sponge. He should have been dead.

Teldryn couldn’t stop a chill from running down his spine.

After a whole era’s worth of creams and potions and herbs and bandages, Geldis looked like he wasn’t about to immediately die. They would have to take that.

Sighing, Teldryn slumped back against the wall. He was so tired already, fighting tears away. By Azura, if Geldis _died_ -

“Since when did you have that on your neck?” Glover asked incredulously. Teldryn had taken off his scarf to wrap around the wound on Geldis’ forearm, revealing the ugly cut in the meat just below his jaw. He’d got it from an ash spawn’s last lash out, and when he rubbed it, golden ash stuck to his fingers.

“Gods, Glover, it’s nothing. Barely shallow enough to hurt,” Teldryn grumbled, but Tilisu had taken attention now too.

“Here, let’s use this,” she said, ripping another strip off the ruined shirt they’d been scrapping. She knelt down to tie it loosely around Teldryn’s neck, careful not to constrict his airway. “Let people take care of you.”

Teldryn grumbled again, but only loosened his new collar slightly, feeling the stretch of the red fabric. “Well. Thanks.”

“I’ll take ‘im down to his own room,” Glover said, gesturing at Geldis. Teldryn didn’t offer to help. He wasn’t sure if his legs would stand up to the task.

He hauled him over his shoulder, as effortlessly as lifting a blanket, and plodded down the stairs.

Teldryn leant back against the wall. He was too tired to sleep.

\--

“You were right worried about Geldis,” Glover said when he got back. He took a swig from his abandoned drink and sat down next to Teldryn, who was still slumped against the wall by the fireplace. He hadn’t even bothered going to his usual chair. He could still hear the raging storm outside, and occasionally a _thump_ from something smacking against the building.

“And that’s a crime?”

“What’s a crime is you two still refusing to kiss and make up. Or just kiss. I’m not the only one who-”

“Say anything like that again,” Teldryn said, syllables artificially clipped, “and I’ll throw you to the ash spawn myself.”

“Alright, alright,” Glover said, raising his hands in mock surrender. “Don’t let me get in your way.”

They sat in silence. Teldryn had nothing to do and he didn’t need a drink. Instead, he just sat worrying at his lip, tapping his knee still clad in chitin, and staring at the ceiling, listening to the rage of the storm outside. Eventually, he heard faint rumbling snores beside him, and looked over to see Glover had nodded off, bottle abandoned on the floor by his limp hand.

Teldryn glanced down the stairs, then at Tilisu, stretched out like a cat on a pile of sheets. He got up.

Quiet as an assassin, he slipped into Geldis’ room, where he had been laid out on his bed, covered by the furs. He was still out, but breathing, and his pulse was strong enough when Teldryn checked.

It felt oddly intimate, delicately putting his fingers on the mer’s neck, his wrist, even if that wasn’t why he did it. At least he didn’t seem to be in pain.

Steeling himself, Teldryn moved the covers away from his legs to check on them. The tinge of ash was gone, and there was no pus, but they were still horrible wounds.

He quickly replaced the covers.

He wasn’t sure what to do. Should he stay here to keep an eye on him? Get some sleep himself? Leave him be? It wasn’t like he did this level of care for patrons. B’vehk, normally he was being paid by them, not the other way round – here, Teldryn was the patron. But none of that logic made sense. This was _Geldis_. He wasn’t just someone to pretend to care about for gold.

“Don’t know why I fucking do this,” Teldryn muttered to himself, even as he sank into a chair. Gods, he was tired. He wouldn’t stay here long, just an hour or two to put his mind at ease, nothing more…

\--

The lights were too bright. Geldis blinked rapidly. He tried to cover his eyes with his hand, but he could barely get it past his shoulder before it gave up. He grimaced.

What in Oblivion had happened? It took him a moment to recognise the cracks in the ceiling above him. He was in his own room.

Surely he should be able to see more of the room than this. With an aching effort, he sat up and leant against the wooden frame of the bed, but it took him far longer than it should have, and a couple of tries to make it all the way up. His leg felt oddly weak. By the end, he was breathing heavily.

The door was ajar, showing an empty hallway. The weatherglass on the table glowed brown. Teldryn was in the chair opposite the bed, head on his chest. The tapestry above the door was crooked- wait a second. Teldryn was in the chair.

His throat was dry. He looked around for any water, but his usual cup was on the table the other side of the room.

“Teldryn.” Geldis’ voice creaked like an old man’s bones. He tried again, clearing his throat. “ _Teldryn_.”

With a start, he jerked awake, his gaze darting around the room before resting on Geldis. “Got some beauty sleep?” he asked after a moment, smugly smiling. He had a bandage around his neck.

“Shut your mouth. Water?” He tried to say more, but already his throat was seizing up. He spluttered. His mouth felt full of ash.

“Charmed,” Teldryn said as he got up. A few moments later, he was back with a tankard. It smelt strongly of shein, which Geldis never wanted at this time in the morning – was it the morning? – but it was filled with water. He had a hard time not choking himself on massive gulps.

When he was done, he was surprised to see Teldryn was staring at him, with an odd, intense look on his face. He was worried. Geldis was about to ask, but then he sucked in a breath and his expression was normal again.

“Do you know what happened?” he asked.

“Probably, but remind me.”

Teldryn gestured questioningly at the foot of the bed, and Geldis nodded. He sat down. “Short version. There was an ash storm, you were wandering near the Bulwark, ash spawn popped up, you were getting beaten up until I hauled your sorry arse back here.”

“Well, thanks for the rescue,” Geldis said. “The long story?”

“That I fought off the spawn and hauled your sorry arse back here in blinding ash, cursing whoever thought wandering around near the Bulwark in an ash storm was a good idea – oh wait. That was you.”

Geldis couldn’t help but laugh. He never admitted it, but sometimes Teldryn could be a right old mother hen. All while bitching about anything and everything.

“Well, I’ve already said thanks.” Geldis said. “Where was I injured? I would find out myself, but I don’t want to make anything worse.”

Teldryn opened his mouth, then closed it.

“By Azura, tell me.”

Teldryn sighed. “One big gash on your back. You can probably feel that. Plenty of smaller cuts pretty much everywhere we checked. That’s me, Glover and Tilisu.”

He paused. Geldis felt like he didn’t like what was coming. Still, he tried to hope. “That all?”

Teldryn shook his head, slowly, as if trying to delay something. “I think – I think I’ll just show you your leg.”

Carefully, he lifted some of the covers away, keeping him covered up to the tops of his thighs.

His legs looked far too marred and ugly to be lying against the bed – the bed, Geldis realised, now stained maroon from leaking wounds. Scrabbles of future scars wound their way around, puncture marks and claw marks, everything. These ash spawn had clearly gone the whole hog. And the burns looked awful.

Funnily enough, it didn’t hurt too much. He supposed that was a good thing.

“Well,” he said. “That’s a bummer.”

Teldryn snorted. “Is that the worst you can come up with? A _bummer_?”

“It’s certainly not the worst, you fucking racercock.”

“Oh, he does have insults up his sleeve. I’m quaking in my boots.”

Geldis was trying not to hurt his ribs by laughing. “I have more, believe me. Guarfucker’s always a fun one. Or you can call someone a weak-headed nord. That never goes down well, but it’s worth it.”

“Why do you never use these?”

“I’m trying to make people think this is an inn, not a gambling pit. You know what Adril says.”

Teldryn kept laughing, and Geldis realised how natural this felt. It wasn’t awkward, being alone with Teldryn, knowing he had dived into ash spawn to save him, and carried him back to the inn in an ash storm, and tended to his wounds, and apparently watched over him for so long that he fell asleep. Even though paying his bills was sometimes too much to handle.

When he’d stopped chuckling, Geldis felt like he owed him. “Thank you, though, really.” He paused. “I can’t imagine doing that myself. For someone else.”

“Well, I need a good bartender around.”

Geldis sighed. “Of course. Should have known.” He tried to put a smile in his voice, but it came out strained. He still didn’t have complete control over his throat.

Teldryn said nothing, just rubbing a calloused hand over his jaw. His lips were chapped. “Really, though? I hate to tell you this, but it wasn’t about you. I mean, it was, but not about your _job_. It was-”

Geldis wasn’t listening to what Teldryn was saying. He was too focused on the tiny bit of contact between them as he shifted.

Should he reach out? Take his hand, even? Just as a comfort, of course. Geldis suddenly felt like he had to, like if he didn’t, he would – well, he didn’t know. He was too focused on Teldryn.

He looked at his mohawk. It was filthy, the strands caked together by ash, and Geldis couldn’t help himself. He beckoned. “Come here. Lemme fix your hair.”

Still looking something that wasn’t quite worried, Teldryn obediently leant forwards. Geldis hesitated before touching his scalp, then summoned his courage and started threading his fingers through. Tiny clumps of brown, dry ash fell into their laps.

It took a couple of minutes to make his mohawk respectable again, even if not as fluffed up as it usually was. Geldis didn’t know why he was focusing on the hair.

“Thank you,” Teldryn said. There was silence.

Teldryn reached out his hand, carefully placed it, palm down, on the bed, just over halfway between them.

Geldis’ hand didn’t want to move (which was surely because he’d just been attacked by ash spawn. No other possible explanation), but he inched it across the bed, biting his lip, until the tips of their fingers touched.

Another long silence.

Teldryn started, and for a moment Geldis thought he was getting up, but he leaned in, closer, and Geldis was starting to move towards him as well when they stopped.

They stayed there, breaths mingling until Geldis couldn’t tell who’s air he was breathing in, and Teldryn was _so godsdamn close_. His eyes shone like embers.

Still there was silence, and then-

“May I?”

Geldis inhaled a sharp breath. “Close the door first.”

Teldryn made a sound that was almost a laugh, and then got up to shut the door. The sound slammed through the quiet.

Geldis closed his eyes. He felt Teldryn sit back down. When he opened them again, he was half a foot away, looking at him with concern. “Does anything hurt?”

“It will if I have to move to kiss you. Fucking get over here.”

And he did.

Teldryn’s lips were rough against Geldis’ own. For a moment they were both frozen. Then Geldis moved his arms, hesitantly, up to Teldryn’s neck, cupping it at the back as he began to move his lips.

Gods, it had been too long since he had done this.

Teldryn moved his head slightly so their noses didn’t collide, and Geldis took the opportunity to press his tongue slightly against his lower lip. Teldryn put a hand just above his knee, and that patch of skin grew inexcusably warm under his touch. Not that he would need to make an excuse for it.

Not anymore.

With jerked movements, he put his fingers on Teldryn’s jaw, running his thumb along soft stubble. Then Teldryn suddenly opened his lips, and Geldis almost melted.

And then they were both pulling back for air. Teldryn was grinning like he hadn’t since they’d boarded the boat leaving Windhelm.

Geldis leaned back, grinning like a loon himself. “How fucking long,” he said, not quite breathlessly, “should we have been doing that?”

“A while?” Teldryn replied.

He pulled him in again, meeting their mouths. It was brilliant – like the first time – but Geldis’ leg was starting to ache, and he had to pull away.

He didn’t have to explain. “Wait here,” Teldryn said, and he left the room.

“Where d’you think I’m going, Akavir?”

He came back with a potion and something in a pot cupped in his hands. “Here.”

The potion tasted foul, but almost immediately Geldis began to relax. He only realised Teldryn had pulled back the covers when he felt stinging cold against his leg.

"Oi! What're you doing? That's cold!" Geldis asked, grimacing.

"It's only netch jelly, calm down," Teldryn said, voice low and soothing. "It's a painkiller."

He was right - within the minute, Geldis couldn't feel anything in his leg. He hadn't realised how much it had begun to hurt until it didn’t. He wriggled his toes experimentally, earning a chuckle from Teldryn. "Care to do me back as well?"

"I'm not your nurse," Teldryn grumbled.

"So sitting by my bedside all night was a coincidence then."

"That was just... shut up." He motioned for Geldis to lie flat onto his stomach.

Geldis smirked as he settled on his front, resting his head on his forearms. Teldryn said nothing else as he drew back the covers, but he sucked in a breath through his teeth when Geldis’ bare back was revealed.

“What does it look like?”

“Bad, but better,” came the reply. This time, there was a soft touch running up and down his back to warn him before the cold jelly. It only took a few moments. As the pain faded, he sighed.

It was quiet inside the inn, although the storm still raged outside. He was beginning to get sleepy again, and he didn’t fight it, moving his arms down by his sides and closing his eyes.

Next to him, Teldryn eased down gently onto the bed, hesitating for a moment before committing his weight. Geldis shifted over to give him room. He silently thanked Azura that his bed was big enough for two. He didn’t plan on letting Teldryn leave.

“Is it alright if I… if I’m here?”

Geldis didn’t bother reply verbally, just shifted into him slightly, which was apparently all the answer Teldryn needed. He relaxed and pulled the covers over both of them, lying on his back.

He barely heard Teldryn’s quiet “goodnight, Geldis”. He barely felt the soft kiss on his shoulder, and barely registered the gentle hand entwined with his before he succumbed to sleep. Barely.

\--

“And that, ladies, gentlemen, and Teldryn, is how I fought off a werewolf,” Glover said. He was at the Retching Netch, having just told his story to the captivated bar. They were mostly miners off work, but Teldryn sat leaned back in a chair, foot on the table (ignoring Glover’s jab), and Geldis was perched on the counter, made of lovely new wood shipped straight from Skyrim, resting his injured leg on a stool.

“So let me get this straight,” Teldryn said, raising a skeptical eyebrow. He was out of his armour, having been hauling ore at the recently-opened mines. “You bashed in this wolf’s head with a plank of wood, but it hadn’t been dented by a boulder? It’s a nice story Glover, but I don’t know…”

“Don’t say that like you don’t always boast about single-handedly beating off a hoard of ash spawn,” Geldis interrupted, smiling slyly. “I asked Veleth, and he said you fought off about two. Frankly, I’m surprised I’m still alive if it was _you_ fighting them.”

Dreyla wolf whistled, and Teldryn didn’t even grace Geldis with a glare, just raising his middle finger.

After that, the customers gradually split off into smaller groups, and eventually most people had drifted off into the evening - well, probably morning - outside.

"What was that for?"

Geldis looked up from counting the evening's coin to see a very handsome face looking down at him, leaning down to rest his forearms on the bar.

"Eh, just to piss you off." It was a good haul. Then again, all the hauls had been good recently, now the mines had been reopened and the Earth stone cleansed, even if he missed out on the Severins' money. Thyri and her girl occasionally got a drink though, when she came to see Neloth or the Skaal or just to stay in her new house for a bit. So all in all, business was good.

Teldryn looked appreciably at the sizable mound of Septims Geldis swept into his safe, before yawning. "I'm going to bed. I’m tired from doing actual work, unlike some people.”

Geldis ignored him. "I'll be there soon." Teldryn leaned in for a kiss - quick, just a temporary goodbye - before sauntering off to their now shared room. Geldis looked after him, smiling, before locking the safe.

When he padded in later, Teldryn was sat up in bed, writing something down in the margins of his long-suffering book of riddles. He was always trying to create some of his own, even if they were sometimes of... dubious quality.

"Ok, try this one,” Teldryn said as Geldis stripped off his shirt. “I’m proud of it.”

"Teldryn Sero, if this is another penis riddle, I swear by-"

"Ok, ok, you caught me." Teldryn eyed Geldis as he quickly grasped the end of the bed to keep from falling over. "Need help with the leg?"

"The answer never changes," Geldis said, plopping down on the bed and stretching his foot out towards Teldryn, who helped detach his prosthetic. It was one of Glover's cleverest inventions. Although the muscle up to his right thigh had been too lacerated too much to be useful for walking with, a dwarven metal structure bending his knee itself, powered by a soul gem. The magical side of it had been whipped up by Thyri’s girl, Saffethi, who sold him the filled gems he needed – taken only from deer or wolves, she promised every time.

However it was powered, it was a miracle. Until it’d been built, he had to use a glorified stick of a crutch to get around. Never again. He’d make Teldryn carry him if the prosthetic broke down.

Once the metal was off, he put on the tray next to his side of the bed. Teldryn snapped his book shut, dropping it onto the floor and putting one arm around Geldis, who leaned gratefully into the touch. He ran his hand over Geldis’ back scar.

“Healing up well,” he said appraisingly. The skin there was still rough and pocked and always would be, but recently it was paining him less. It was just a shame there wasn’t a proper healer stationed on the island. Thyri and Saffethi both did some Restoration, but neither had come back to Solstheim for several months after the attack.

Not that he was doing badly with such a handsome bastard of a mer by his side.

Geldis nuzzled into said handsome bastard, tucking his head into his shoulder and kissing a line up to his jaw. He’d shaved recently. Teldryn gripped his hip, but it was more of a friendly action.

“Not tonight. I’m aching all bloody over.” While they waited for the guars to arrive from the mainland, the head of the mine had hired people to haul ebony and supplies in and out, and Teldryn had signed up to be one of them.

“Fair enough, but stop whining,” Geldis said, not harshly. He turned around to kiss him, and they did for a while, just existing. Teldryn’s lips were still as chapped as ever, but hang on. He tasted different. Almost like…

“Did you take some of the emberbrand wine? I know you did,” he said incredulously. “Could’ve asked at least.

Teldryn grinned down at him. “It was a dare from Glover. He was wondering how long it would take you to notice when you kissed me. That was what, ten seconds?”

“That little…” Geldis shook his head and almost got out of bed before he remembered the prosthetic. Teldryn didn’t try to stop him – he helped him get it on.

“Is he still here?”

“Think so, he said he was looking at the countertop to see where he could improve his carpentry for the future. Nice excuse, you have to admit.”

“Right,” Geldis said. He fired up the soul gem and bent his leg a couple of times experimentally. “GLOVER!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woohoo! They finally stopped pining! They should not have taken as long as they did! It's definitely been a while since they came to Solstheim, so they have NO excuse. None.
> 
> Also, in case you were wondering, Thyri and Saffethi are two of my OCs! I've got a multichapter story for them (and a load of other people) going around in my head, so I'm probably going to start writing that soon with my newfound free time.

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked it, don't forget to drop a kudos or a comment! Your neighbourhood writer-gremlin appreciates them a lot!


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